Buses in Romania were being deep-cleaned, Sunday, March 15, on the eve of a state of emergency aimed at fighting the COVID-19 virus.

READ MORE: Europe has replaced China as the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization confirmed.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters Friday in Geneva that in Europe “more cases are now being reported every day than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic.''

In Italy the number of coronavirus infections has soared, bringing the total number infected in the country to more than 21,000. The number of coronavirus deaths in Italy, the hardest-hit country outside of China, stood at 1,441.

Denmark and Poland joined other countries Saturday in closing their borders to most travelers, while Russia said it will shut its borders with Norway and Poland on Sunday.

Spain announced Saturday it would employ steps similar to Italy in locking down its country for two weeks. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in announcing the measures, said, starting immediately, residents would only be allowed to leave their homes to buy food and medicine, to go to work, to find medical care or to help care for the young or elderly.